This invention relates to a new and improved system for controlling water delivery to a kitchen sink, and the like, and more specifically for a system which controls the on-off function of a water faucet, excess water use, temperature, volume, and so forth, while reducing both leaks, and the use of hand controls.
Various water flow control and flow monitoring systems have been developed in the past, and typical prior art publications are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,370,609; 3,374,957; 3,450,159; 3,556,146; 3,576,277; 3,638,680; 4,189,792; and, 4,735,357.
Some of these prior art patents describe control systems which use infra red light to actuate an on-off control mechanism for a water supply; other systems use photoelectric s cells to detect the presence of a user's hands to control the on-off mechanism; and, still other patents describe the use of electromagnetic energy, which may include a proximity detector to control the on-off mechanism of the water supply.
However, none of these prior art systems describe the capability of saving cold water which has been passed through the pipe lines of a system prior to the onset of hot water flow, and this cold water is invariably lost. Also, none of these systems provide an effective way of controlling an on-off switch which eliminates the use of a detection system but which still depends on the presence of a user in the immediate vicinity of a sink where control of the water takes place.